


Be still, my foolish heart

by ConstellationStation



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth is Emotions™, Crimson Flower Route, F/F, she's also a dork but so is El so they're fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22182589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConstellationStation/pseuds/ConstellationStation
Summary: Byleth's newfound heartbeat comes with emotions at an intensity she isn't quite used to handling
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 223





	Be still, my foolish heart

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I wouldn't read fanfics 'til I finished all the routes, but I couldn't stop myself from writing them... oh well

At first, Byleth feels nothing.

Then there comes a throbbing in her chest, shaky at first, but growing stronger and steadier. It becomes so loud that it rings in her ears, and slowly her other senses come back to her.

Acrid smoke makes it unpleasant to breathe. The heat of the burning city and the injuries she sustained in it gave her various pains and discomforts. Her body was propped up on something… moving? Something wet was on her collar.

The weight lifts and Byleth opens her eyes to see Edelgard’s face, wide-eyed and stained with ash and tears.

“You’re alive…” Edelgard murmurs almost reverently, brushing hair out of her face.

The action makes the throbbing in her chest quicken and her face heats up. Byleth realizes with a start that Edelgard is cradling her. The surge of emotion that overcomes her then is so sudden and intense that if she were standing, she’s sure she would have collapsed anyway. As it were, Byleth is rendered unable to do anything except stare at Edelgard and gape.

For her part, Edelgard isn’t very articulate either. She opens her mouth several times as if to say something but is unable to find the words. She tries again but all that comes out is a sob. 

Tears are streaming down her face, still. Were they of fear? Relief? Joy? Byleth reaches up, hand shaking. She rests the side of her hand on Edelgard’s cheek in an attempt to steady it as she gently wipes her tears with a thumb.

Her throat feels tight, but she somehow finds her voice. “You’re crying,” she says rather lamely. She recalls when Edelgard told her the same thing when she was mourning in her father’s office. She’d found it a poor thing to say then as it is now, although she sees there really is little to say in such situations.

Perhaps they’re in awe of the vulnerability of someone they think is so strong.

Edelgard leans into her touch, an armored hand covering her own. “You’re crying too.”

Byleth feels at her cheeks with her other hand. “So I am.”

“When you… when you collapsed like that,” Edelgard starts. “I feared -” she cuts herself off, letting go of Byleth’s hand to wipe at her eyes.

“Hey, I’m alright now, El,” she says, sitting up so she could give her a proper hug. She was mostly trying to comfort Edelgard, but a part of her, newly awakened and hysterical, is thrilled that she’s essentially sitting in her lap. “I promised I wouldn’t die on you, remember?”

“But you did!” Edelgard cries, pulling her closer, “Y-your heart wasn’t beating. I was terrified.”

Despite herself, Byleth laughs. 

Edelgard pulls away from her, expression torn between incredulity, awe, and offense.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be laughing,” she says, waving her hand in a manner she hopes is placating. Unfortunately, she doesn’t stop laughing there. She hasn’t stopped crying either. She dissolves into a fit of cackling, clutching at Edelgard for support. When she thought she was done, seeing Edelgard’s miffed expression sends her over the edge again.

Now Edelgard is just concerned. “Are you alright, my teacher?”

“I’m sorry, really,” Byleth wipes more tears from her eyes, “it’s just that my heart doesn’t normally beat.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ever since I was a child, it never did.” She shakes her head, “and now that it is… it’s rather overwhelming. Maybe that’s why I’m behaving so strangely now. Apologies in advance if this becomes the norm.”

Edelgard is regarding her carefully. “Do you think that had something to do with your transformation?”

“Transformation?”

Edelgard runs her fingers through Byleth’s hair. It’s a pleasant feeling. “You look as you normally do before. The Goddess’s colors are gone.”

“Sothis?” Byleth stiffens. She inspects a lock of her hair and it is indeed dark blue instead of pale green. Sadness washes over her like a wave. She’d missed her dearly when they’d fused, and it felt like she lost Sothis all over again. She searches desperately within her for any sign of the progenitor god but she finds nothing, not even the divine pulse. 

Bone-chilling dread dawned on her as she realizes the implications of losing the divine pulse. It was not a power she frequently drew upon during the war, but it was a safety net that gave her confidence. Insurance that she had over a dozen chances to see everyone she cares about alive through any battle. Those Who Slither had powers beyond even the church and she just lost her biggest advantage.

“How are you feeling?” Edelgard asks softly.

Different emotions clash within her without cancelling or drowning the others out. She is saddened by the second loss of her dear friend, fearful of the battles ahead, and somehow at the same time she’s still giddy with affection for the woman whose lap she sat in, and whom she planned to confess to soon enough. Combine that with the dizzying relief that the battle is over with no major losses on their side and the nerve-wracking anticipation for what happens next, and even remorse for the lives she's taken to get this far, she doesn’t know what she isn’t feeling. 

“A lot.” She says, pressing her forehead to Edelgard’s shoulder. “I feel a lot.”

Edelgard holds her close and strokes her hair again. She speaks up after a moment. “Your heart truly never beat before now?”

“Heh,” Byleth smiles wryly, “guess you’ve never been close enough to find out before now.” Goddess, this isn’t the time to be flirting!

Edelgard isn’t able to respond before voices call from a distance.

“Your Majesty!” “Professor!” “Edelgard!”

“Perhaps we should sort this out at the monastery,” Edelgard sighs. “Can you stand?”

“Help me up.” 

Maybe she imagined it, or maybe Edelgard kissed the top of her head before helping her stand. Either way, it has her heart pounding in her chest.

Edelgard is watching her again. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush before.” And then quickly, under her breath, “it’s cute.”

Emboldened, Byleth leans forward, “May I kiss you?”

“Yes- wait, I mean-”

Blushing isn’t a new look on Edelgard, but it’s one Byleth would never tire of. She waits patiently for Edelgard to stop stammering before giving her a brief kiss on the lips.

“There you are!”

They’re both blushing and grinning like fools, but hopefully their allies chalk it up to the surrounding fire and victory euphoria when they rush to meet them.

**Author's Note:**

> so that thingy with her heart definitely had something to do with Byleth's emotionlessness so I hc after CF her emotions just hit her like a truck. if this is contradicted by any backstory/lore, please don't point it out as I've only finished CF and am still in the school phase of Blue Lions so no spoilers ;w;


End file.
